Photo of the Week 2015-06-29

The colour and patterns of dramatic sunsets up on "the Bruce" never fail to impress. The challenge for me as a photographer is to capture these scenes in a way that invites the viewer in, to pause and experience the scene as if they were there, immersed in it's glory.

transitions

For the image above, I had been down at the shoreline photographing a view just to the left for several minutes, capturing a pink glow illuminating the underside of the cloud bank and rebounding down over the calm water as the scene had been subtly changing moment by moment. Wanting to capture all that I could, I turned to the west to see intriguing patterns created by the shoreline, treeline, clouds and reflections on the still water. I captured a few images with the 24-105mm lens on the 5DIII before hurrying to retrieve my 14mm ultra wide angle for a broader more sweeping view.

When I returned, a family of Canada Geese were swimming by on their way to find evening refuge. It added just enough to the scene to "make" this image.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-06-22

Dad always liked taking pictures of flowers. I recall looking at the large number of prints and slides when he would return from vacation. Florida, Hawaii, anywhere he went you could bet there would be lots of photos of the flowers he saw. So thinking of him on yet another Father's Day, I decided to work on a recent flower image of my own.

It's the time of year for photographing orchids on the Bruce Peninsula, but I was home this weekend to spend some time with Lynn and the boys for my birthday and Father's Day .. can't think of anything better to do on these occasions.

What I did manage to slip in on Saturday morning, was a visit to a local spot a friend showed me last year and capture some images of a Showy Lady's Slipper .
 

a showy pair

Given the time of day and limited access to the flower(s), I had to be content shooting from the road shoulder, across a (cold) creek, around and under some branches with my 7DII, 300mm f/4 with 1.4x extender. The resulting capture was less than spectacular so I pushed the file around in post considerably to create this rendition.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-06-15

For a while now I've felt that I've been slacking off with my photography. By slacking off I mean just grabbing the convenient shot, like walking down to the shore at the cottage and snapping a sunset, or throwing a camera over my shoulder when I go for a mid-day walk. Oh, I have been able to capture some decent images, a few anyway, but it's just not been satisfying, the way it is when I go out to locations selected specifically for photography and capture something special.

That requires initiative and particularly at the cottage, it's too easy to be content to just sit with a fresh coffee, relax and watch the day arrive. Mind you with sunrise close to 5:30 am this time of year it's early to get up and out to capture sunrise or photograph during the "golden hour", even for me.

When I heard there could be fog on Saturday morning, I decided it was time ...

hushed harbour

So just after 6 am, I first headed into the village to see if the harbour was shrouded in mist and sure enough it was. After parking, I grabbed one camera and started trying to find the best vantage point before conditions changed. The fog was shifting and I needed to work quickly. Sitting on the boat launch ramp at water's edge to get a low angle point of view, I heard the crew of Craigie's Restaurant outside chatting and having a break before the breakfast crowd came. Otherwise there was a peaceful hush over the harbour and wonderful golden diffused light ... and oh, those wonderful reflections.

I worked my way all around Little Tub Harbour and while driving along Bay St. as I left the village, most of the fog had lifted and only wisps remained, receding over the still water. I stopped for this parting shot of Big Tub Light across the water before heading south to Singing Sands to see what awaited me there.

It was well past time ... time I got back to this. These shots just aren't possible without making the effort to get out.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-06-08

... time for a sorely needed WWC (wander with camera) and some friendly company this past Saturday. After a couple of trying weeks, I was really looking forward to some time looking through the lens.

Alan and I decided to meet up Saturday and follow an old routine of wandering around downtown Guelph in the early morning daylight before dropping in to the Guelph Farmer's Market and finally to OX Cafe for a latte and catching up.

Our wander started n the Baker St. parking lot, texting each other, "I'm here, I''m here too, Where?, Here, Where? , Here!, Oh, there you are...." and then out to Quebec St, to St. George's Square (why do the call it a square?), by the family fountain sculpture, across Wyndham over to Douglas and a couple of shots around Red Brick Cafe. Then behind the courthouse back up Douglas and down Wyndham in the direction of the train station. Then  ...

All at a leisurely stroll, spotted with conversation, laughter and friendship. Something I needed as part of the process of moving on, getting back to normal, whatever that is ...

Petrie Patina

The upper facade of the Petrie Building in Guelph ... I've often though that given the money, I would loved to have restored this building and converted it for gallery and studio space.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-06-01

Last Father's Day, I used my iPhone to photograph what I first saw as an interesting cloud formation while sitting at the shore of Hay Bay. Later my son pointed out that it looked like a bird in flight ... white dove or an angel perhaps ...

white winged dove II

  ... an image that has and will, I hope, bring me comfort in days ahead.

DJE